Operation: Matchmaker
by PodSara
Summary: Yuna, Paine and Shinra hatch a devious plan to get Rikku and Gippal together. Will their plan work, or will it be a disaster of epic proportions?


**Operation Matchmaker**   
_A FFX-2 Fan Fiction_

* * *

**_One_**

It was All Summoner's Eve, a night of fun, costumes and practical jokes and everyone was busy preparing for the long weekend of partying to come. The Gullwings had gone to the Machine Faction Headquarters to pick Shinra up and to change into their costumes. Rikku, of course was taking her sweet time getting ready, just as Yuna and Paine had hoped. They had a plan. A devious plan. 

"Rikku, hurry up," Paine called into the deserted temple. "We haven't got all day." 

"I'll be done in just a minute!" Rikku cried back for the fourth time. 

Everything was going according to plan. Paine nodded at Yuna. "Let's go." 

Yuna followed outside, with a guilty glance over her shoulder. 

Paine and Yuna stood outside the doors of the Machine Faction Headquarters, formerly Djose Temple, and looked at one another. Yuna wasn't sure if she really wanted to go through with what she was about to do. It was kind of a mean thing to do, really, especially since Rikku was her friend. But, it was All summoner's Eve - the night of costumes, trickery and practical jokes. There was no better time to pull a prank on Rikku, and Yuna had to admit, Rikku had it coming. Still, she hesitated. 

"She'd do it to you," Paine reminded her and adjusted the long black wig she wore. "But hurry up and do it if you're _going_ to do it." 

Yuna nodded and slipped a thick metal rod through the door handles. Paine reached out with a gloved hand and pulled on one of the handles. It wouldn't budge. 

"Perfect," Paine said. "Let's party." 

The pair headed back to the airship, where Buddy, Shinra and Brother were putting the final touches on their costumes. 

"Yuna, you look wonderlicious," Brother cried as she entered the cabin. 

Yuna looked down at the angel costume she wore and shrugged. "You think so?" 

"YES!" Brother cried. "It is perfect." 

"What are you supposed to be?" Paine asked him, eyeing his costume. He wore a derby hat, a long black trench coat and oversized shoes. 

"A clown," he said. 

"I know that, but where's your costume?" Paine joked. 

"You are not funny, Paine," Brother said. 

"Maybe a little make up would help," Yuna suggested. 

"No! I am a man. Men do not wear make up," Brother cried. "And you make fun of my costume! What are you supposed to be? You look like a bloodsucker!" 

"That's the point," Paine said. 

Yuna looked at Paine and shrugged. Yuna turned her attention to Shinra, who looked adorable dressed up as a sphere. He'd made the costume himself, and had done a very good job. He looked just like a save sphere with arms and legs. 

"Where's Buddy?" Yuna asked. 

"He's still getting dressed," Shinra said. 

"How long does it take to put on a simple moogle suit?" Brother complained. "I want to get this party on the road!" 

"Trust me," Yuna said. "Buddy could be in there for another hour." 

"Then I will fly the airship myself!" 

"Be my guest," Paine said. 

"Did you do it?" Shinra asked as he waddled toward them. 

"Yes," Yuna said. "Operation _Matchmaker_ is in full swing." 

"Perfect," Shinra said. There was an evil grin on his face. "Let's go to Luca."

* * *

Rikku stared at her appearance in the mirror, admiring the fantastic job she'd done with her make up. Pale blue glitter shimmered all over her face, particularly on her eyelids, which were lined in a vibrant blue pencil. Even her eyelashes were encrusted in glitter. She had pulled her hair back to the crown, where it was secured with tiny blue stones that glimmered in the light. She'd crimped the rest and sprayed it with glitter. Tomorrow, it would be interesting trying to remove all that glitter, but she didn't care. She'd even painted her finger and toe nails in a shimmery pale blue polish to match. She thought she looked looked good. 

She adjusted the short, pale blue dress, tied the sash at the waist and then put on a pair of shimmery blue and pink dragonfly wings to complete her costume. Now, her costume was perfect. "You're gonna knock 'em dead," she told her reflection. 

She left the bathroom and entered the dome, which was deserted. Most of the Technicians had already left to celebrate the long holiday weekend. Most of them had gone home early, at Gippal's request, but Yunie and Paine should have been there waiting for her. "Hello?" she called. Her voice echoed through the empty dome. 

Maybe they'd gone outside to wait. She went to the doors and pulled. 

They wouldn't open. So she pushed on them. Still wouldn't open. "Ha ha, very funny guys" she said. "Open up!" 

Outside there was the unmistakable sound of the airship engines firing up. They weren't leaving her, were they? Of course not. She was the life of the party. There was no way they were going to party in Luca without her. 

"Guys! I'm in here!" she cried as she pounded on the door. "Hey! You can't leave without me!" 

She tried the door again. First she pushed, then she pulled and then she tried banging on it again. None of it worked. She leaned against the door and told herself that they'd come back. They were just playing a joke on her because she'd taken too long to get ready. They'd come back. 

The pitch of the airship engines changed, and Rikku realized that they were taking off. Without her. "NO!" she cried as she yanked at the handles on the door. "You can't leave me here! This isn't funny anymore guys. Come back!" 

But they weren't coming back. The roar of the airship engines began to fade, and Rikku sat down, back against the door. What did they think they were doing? She wondered. "This is so not cool," she muttered to herself. 

She heard footsteps from somewhere inside the former temple and got to her feet. So she wasn't alone after all. Maybe they'd all gotten left behind, a cruel joke that Brother thought was funny. If that was the case, she'd show him. She'd strip him of his leader status and make him their errand boy. After all, it wasn't as if he did much leading anyway. He always left the decisions up to Yuna. 

The footsteps grew closer. The door at the entrance to the former Chamber of Fayth opened and Gippal stepped out. He was dressed as a pirate. Under normal circumstances, Rikku would have laughed at his costume, but right now, nothing was funny. 

But now, she wasn't alone. And maybe Gippal knew how to get out. 

"Gippal," Rikku cried. "What are you doing here?" 

"I work here," he said as he approached. "What are you doing here?" 

"I mean, I thought you left for the day," she said. 

"I'm leaving now, Cid's girl," he said. He fished in his pocket for his keys and reached for the door handle. "And so are you." 

The door wouldn't budge. Gippal tried again. "Hey, the door's stuck." 

"Why do you think I'm still here," Rikku said and crossed her arms. 

It was then that Gippal noticed her costume. He eyed her up and down. "Wow. You actually look hot." 

"Oh, stuff it, Gippal," she cried. "Open the doors. Blow 'em up if you have to. I have a party to attend and I don't want to be late!" 

"Pipe down, firecracker," he said. "Narota must have locked the door before he left, that's all." 

He inserted the key into the lock and turned it. Then he tried the doors again without success. He tried the key again, this time turning it in the opposite direction. Still nothing. 

"I think we're locked in," he said. 

"Oh this is just great," Rikku ranted. "It's the biggest party weekend of the year and I'm stuck here with you." 

"Like I'm thrilled to be here with _you_," Gippal said. "I've got my own parties to go to." 

"Yeah, but I had my whole weekend planned! I'm supposed to go to Luca tonight, and then to Killika for an all day shopping trip and go to another party, and on Sunday, we were supposed to have a great big festival in the Calm Lands!" 

"You think I don't have plans?" he asked, offended. 

"Why should I care what plans you have?" Rikku pouted. "It's my plans that got all messed up." 

"Hate to break it to you, Cid's girl, but you're not the only one stuck here." 

Rikku almost stormed away, but there wasn't really anywhere to storm to. "I might as well be." 

"Why do you have to be so annoying?" 

"Why do you have to be such a jerk?" 

"Look, we can sit here and argue with each other all night, but that's not going to get us out of here," he said. "So you can either cooperate or sit here and complain. Either way, I'm going to figure out how to get out of here whether I have your help or not." 

Rikku wanted to let him do it all, but then she thought about the party she would miss and changed her mind. "Fine," she said. "I'll help." 

Gippal looked around the room, his expression one of intense thought. 

"How 'bout we blow the doors off their hinges? I have some grenades." 

He shook his head. "Won't work." 

"Why not?" 

"I had those doors made about a year ago. They're double reinforced steel, almost a foot thick," he said. "A grenade would barely leave a mark." 

"Poopie," Rikku muttered. Then she had an idea. "What about the experiment?" 

"It's still broken from the last time you guys were here." 

"We can fix it." 

"With what?" 

"I dunno. You're the machina genius," she said. 

"Let's say I had the parts to fix it," he said. "Then I'd have to completely tear it down and rebuild it. That would take a week at least." 

Rikku put her head in her hands and groaned. "This so sucks." 

"My feelings exactly, Firecracker." 

She looked up at him and glared. "Why can't you call me by my name? It's not Cid's girl, or Firecracker, it's Rikku. _ Rikku_. Call me that or nothing at all." 

"Fine, _Rikku,_" he said. "Any other brilliant ideas?" 

"Hey, I don't hear you coming up with any."

* * *

The Gullwings, minus Rikku, were almost to Luca an hour later. Yuna was still feeling bad about leaving her friend behind. Still, it was kind of funny, locking Rikku in the Temple with Gippal. They'd either end up hurting one another or they'd realize how crazy they were about each other. Maybe a little of both before the weekend was over. Rikku might be angry now, but in the end, she'd probably thank them for it. 

"Do you think our plan is working?" Shinra asked. He sat in his seat awkwardly on account of his costume. 

"I hope so," Yuna said. "Otherwise, she's going to be pretty upset with us." 

"They're probably about to strangle one another right now," Paine said. 

"Good thing I left a comsphere," Shinra said. 

"You didn't!" Yuna cried. "Let me see!" 

Shinra punched a button on his console and the interior of the Djose Temple appeared on the screen. At the far left of the screen, Rikku stood on Gippal's shoulder's. She was trying to reach the window sill. 

"Ow!" Gippal cried. 

"Move closer," Rikku commanded. "I can't reach it." 

"I already told you, I can't get any closer." 

"They're trying to escape," Shinra said. 

"Seems to be working out well," Paine said. 

"There's no way out," Shinra assured her. "Once they realize that, they'll be forced to entertain one another for the rest of the weekend." 

"What about the power?" Paine asked. 

"I've rigged the fuse box to blow at nine p. m." Shinra said. "They'll be in the dark after that." 

"And then _love_, baby," Brother cried from his place in the pilot seat.

* * *

They'd searched the entire temple. There was no way out. Gippal couldn't believe that this had happened and that he was stuck with this shrill little elf for the duration of the weekend. He'd given his entire crew of technicians the weekend off, and now he seriously regretted that decision. It wasn't like the Al Bhed really celebrated All Summoner's Eve. But he thought it would be a nice thing to do, since the rest of Spira would be out celebrating and enjoying the last big holiday before the Yule celebration in December. 

"Ohhh," Rikku groaned and plopped onto the floor. "This sucks!" 

"Tell me about it." He took a seat on the steps and put his head in his hands. 

"So what do we do, just stay here the whole weekend?" 

"Do you see any other option?" 

"No, but . . . " 

"Then you might as well quit complaining." 

"I can complain as much as I want to!" Rikku cried. "It sucks. Everyone else is out having fun and I'm stuck in this place with you!" 

"You make it sound like I'm diseased or something," Gippal said. 

Rikku glared at him. "I'm going to go change. No point in wearing this if there's no party." 

He got to his feet. "Wait," he said and blushed. "You look kinda cute like that. Why not leave it on and we'll have a party of our own?" 

"Are you kidding?" she said. 

"Not really," he said. "We're stuck here. Why not make the best of it?" 

She stared at him with her emerald green eyes, suspicious. "What are you up to?" 

"Nothing. I just don't think it makes sense to sit here and fight for the rest of the weekend. So, what do you say?" 

"I guess you have a point," she said. 

Gippal was secretly pleased. Getting locked in the temple with Rikku wasn't his idea of a good time, but this might be his chance to spend a little time with her. They'd dated several years ago, and it hadn't worked out for various reasons, but now he realized that it had been a mistake to give up so soon. Maybe he could rekindle that old flame. 

"Allrighty then," Gippal said and got to his feet. "We need music." 

"And food," Rikku said. "I'm starving." 

"Well, let's see what we can come up with." 

They headed to Gippal's office, where he kept a small refrigerator and a cabinet full of snack foods. Rikku rooted through the cabinet as Gippal inspected the contents of the fridge. There was nearly a case of beer, a bottle of vodka and half a gallon of orange juice. There was also a large block of cheese, a jar of sweet pickles and another jar of olives. 

Rikku set a box of crackers on the desk, along with a bag of chips and dip. Beside that, she set a package of sugar cookies. "Hey Gip, do you eat anything that's not junk? This cabinet's full of high fat, high sugar crap!" 

"Hey, I like my food junky and full of calories," he said. 

"You're gonna pay for that later." 

"Maybe I will, but I like my junk food." 

Rikku poked around the cabinet a little more. "Hey, twinkies!" 

"My favorite." 

"Mine too!" 

"I know," he said and handed her the block of cheese. "For the crackers." 

"Yum," Rikku said as she eyed the large hunk of cheddar. "You have knife?" 

He handed her his pocket knife. 

"Ewww. It's got . . . grease or something all over it." 

"Go wash it off in the bathroom," he said with shrug. While she was gone, he opened the various packages and set them out on the desk, along with a couple of paper plates and plastic utensils. He stepped back and looked at the desk. Something was missing. 

Candles? It was, after all, All Summoner's Eve. Candles were required, weren't they? 

He went to the storage closet across the room and pulled two emergency candles out of a box and grabbed two plain brass holders. They weren't anything special, but they were better than nothing. Then he switched on the radio to the alternative station, which was broadcasting live from Luca tonight. If they couldn't be there, at least they could hear the details. 

Rikku returned with the clean knife and she froze in the doorway when she saw the candles. "What are you trying to pull?" she asked. 

"Nothing. Aren't candles part of the whole All Summoner's thing?" He noticed how nice she looked dressed in her costume. With her hair pulled back, he could see all of her face, even though it was coated in glitter. He rather liked the glitter. It made her sparkle from head to toe in the candle light. 

"Oh, he he, yeah," Rikku tittered. "I forgot about that." 

"So, do you want a beer, a screwdriver or a soda?" 

"Screwdriver, double shot on the Vodka," Rikku said. She began to slice the cheese into thick pieces and set them aside on a paper plate. Beside those she set a pile of crackers. 

"That's a tall order for such a puny girl," Gippal remarked. "You sure you can handle it?" 

"You forget I've been partying with Paine for the last couple of years." 

He remembered drinking with Paine. He'd tried and failed to drink the taciturn recorder under the table more than once. "Whatever you say, but I'm not holding your hair back while you puke." 

"I don't puke," Rikku said, indignant. 

"That's not true," he said, recalling a time when they were dating. They'd snuck out of Home and had gone to the oasis with a bottle of wine. Rikku had spewed chunks all over the place, effectively ruining what might have been a really romantic evening. 

"I was fifteen and had never had a drink before!" Rikku cried. "And you were pouring that wine down my throat like there was no tomorrow! What did you expect me to do?" 

Gippal blushed and stuck a fork in the pickle jar. "Yeah, I know. It was my fault. I should have known better." 

"Yeah, well, you were fifteen too. You thought you were gonna get lucky," she said and grinned. "But, you did hold my hair back, you know. That was nice of you, considering I spewed_ everywhere_." 

Now Gippal's cheeks flamed. Indeed, that had been his plan - to get her drunk and maybe get a little nookie to boot. "Let's change the subject," he said. "Besides, we've got all this food. And drinks." 

Rikku picked up her glass of poison and held it up. "A toast?" 

"A toast." 

"To what?" 

Gippal thought a moment. "To good times, good friends, and another chance to score." 

Rikku smacked him in the arm. "In your dreams, Left Eye." 

She hadn't called him by his childhood nickname in ages. She'd called him Left Eye when they were kids, and he'd hated it. He thought she'd forgotten about it, and about the little mishap that had caused it. 

When he'd been just a kid, he, Buddy and Brother had decided to build a machina. The thing had malfunctioned and had exploded, sending bits of itself flying. A piece of metal had pierced his eye, and left him blind. He'd worn the patch ever since. He thought it looked better than the scar, which was white and puckered and ugly. 

"You got any cards? Or a Core Sphere?" 

He opened his desk and found a deck of playing cards. He had a Core Sphere, but he refused to play Sphere Break with Rikku. She was almost as good as Shinra, and he didn't feel like losing a bunch of money tonight. 

"What are we playing?" 

"Go fish?" she said and sipped her drink. 

"How 'bout strip poker?" 

"No way," Rikku said with a giggle. Already, the vodka was going to her head. 

"Afraid you'll lose?" He asked and ran his finger along the skinny strap of her dress. 

"No," she said and brushed his hand away. "I don't want to see _you_ naked."

* * *

They played Go-Fish for a while and snacked on the junk food smorgasbord as they listened to the festivities on the radio. It depressed Rikku to think about everyone having fun but her. Being stuck with Gippal wasn't as bad as she'd thought it would be, but she would still rather be with her friends, having the time of her life in Luca. She wanted to be dancing, flirting with cute guys, not playing a kiddie card game with her ex-boyfriend. But, as Gippal had said, she was trying to make the best of it. 

The vodka was helping, at least. 

"I'm bored," she said and threw her cards down. 

"Me too," Gippal replied. "Hey, how about we watch a movie? We've got a television and a DVD player in the lounge." 

"Why didn't you say so before?" she complained. 

He shrugged. "Didn't think about it." 

"Let's clean this stuff up first," she said and gestured to the junk food on the desk. "And you can make me another drink." 

"You're having another one? Already?" 

"So?" 

"You better slow down or you really are going to puke." 

"Nope," she said. "I told you. I don't puke anymore. Now make that drink, and don't skimp on the alcohol." 

She wrapped up the remaining crackers and cheese and put them away as she hummed along with the radio. When she was done, Gippal handed her a glass and assisted her with the clean up. It only took a few minutes to put everything away and when they finished, Rikku followed him to the lounge. 

"Pick a movie," he told her. He turned on the big screen television and changed it to the video setting. 

Rikku scanned the titles on the DVD rack. _Attack of the Mutant Machina Clones_? No. _Machina Madness_? Certainly not. _Al Bhed Beauties Go Berserk._ Eww. _For Yevon's Sake_? What the . . . ? She plucked this one off the shelf and held the sappy romance for him to see. "Why do you have this?" 

He blushed and took a seat on the couch. "Not mine. That one is Nhadala's" 

"_Sure_ it is," she teased. "Cause tough guys like you don't watch romantic comedies, right?" 

"Quit it," he said. She'd embarrassed him. 

"I think we should _watch_ it," Rikku said and took a step closer. She wasn't sure what she was doing, and she didn't care. It was fun to tease Gippal. Plus, they were alone and he was hot. She'd never quite gotten over him and it was obvious that he still thought she was cute. Why not flirt a little? 

"I don't think so." 

She took a sip of her drink and set it on the coffee table. "What's the matter, Left Eye? Am I making you _nervous_?" 

He looked up at her. "No, but you're acting weird. Pick a movie, will ya?" 

She giggled. He was still wearing his pirate hat. She snatched it off his head and tossed it onto the couch beside him. 

"Are you drunk?" he asked. 

"A little bit," she admitted and giggled again. "Why?" 

"Cause I think you're about to do something you're going to regret," he said. 

"You mean something like this?" she said and bent down to kiss him. When their lips met, she felt that old spark flare up again. 

"Yeah, that's exactly what I meant," Gippal muttered and reached around to remove the dragonfly wings at her back.

* * *

They made out on the couch for what seemed like hours. Gippal couldn't believe it had even come to this, after all this time. It took him back to the days when they were teenagers. It was a surprise and a delight to have her sitting in his lap with her arms wrapped around him. Only this afternoon, they'd been screaming at one another, and now they were acting like a couple of horny teenagers in the back seat of a station wagon. Not that he minded. No, this was a good thing. A very good thing. 

That was, until Rikku pulled back and said in a thick voice, "I think I'm gonna barf." 

Gippal glared up at the ceiling and groaned. Somehow, he'd known this was coming. It had been too good to be true. At least this time, she'd warned him. 

He got up and lead her quickly to the bathroom. He flipped the toilet lid up and set her gently in front of the porcelain goddess. "There you go," he said and sighed. Rikku began to retch and cough. Gippal wasn't compelled to watch, so he stepped out of the stall and ran some cold water over a rag to give her when she was finished. 

Then, he felt guilty for just sticking her in front of the toilet. He went back inside the stall with the cold rag in hand and sat down behind her. Gently, he pulled her loose hair back and held it there while she heaved up the contents of her stomach. He might as well help her out, since it was partially his fault anyway. 

About the time Rikku finished, there was a loud noise, and the room was plunged into darkness. He groaned and got up. This was the absolute worst time for a power outage. 

He felt along the wall until he reached the door. He opened the door and entered the dome, which was dim, but there was enough light coming from the high windows for him to make his way back into the office for the emergency candles. He grabbed one of the extinguished candles from the desk and re-lit it, then headed back to the bathroom where Rikku was slumped against the metal wall of the stall. 

He set the candle on the counter by the sink and crouched down by the sick girl. "Feel better?" he asked. 

"I drank too much," she mumbled. 

"Yeah, you did." 

"Wanna go to sleep." She tried to get up, but she fell into the wall and slid down it, back to the floor. 

With a sigh, Gippal picked her up and carried her back to the lounge, where he deposited her on the couch. She moaned and rolled onto her side, facing away from him. 

He returned to the bathroom to retrieve the candle, went to the office and got himself another beer and then went back to the lounge. He sat on a bean bag that was beside the table and watched Rikku sleep.

* * *

NOTES: 

Well...I don't know if this is any good. I've been writing a very serious piece, which some of you may be reading called "The Things We Do For Love" and I needed to write something that lightened things up. I wanted this to be kind of funny, but it turned out pretty fluffy. The thing is, in my experience, fluff gets read more than serious dramatic stuff. 

Anyway, this'll be a short one, probably no more than three or four chapters. Still, it's something fun, rather than what I have been working on. Hope you enjoy my bit 'o fluff. I had fun writing it. 

Review...flame...spam...whatever... 


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